The beautiful Basilica di Sant’Ubaldo, patron saint of Gubbio, stands on the top of Mount Igino, in a commanding position with respect to the rest of the city, which stretches out at the foot of the hill.
The original building dates back to the 13th century, and to a pre-existing church where the remains of the saint were brought in the Middle Ages. The current church is the result of successive interventions carried out between the 16th and 20th centuries.
Construction of the Basilica began in 1513 and ended a few years later, in 1527, with the addition of an adjoining cloister and convent. What was once a basilica rich in ornamental Renaissance and Baroque-style stuccos was the subject of considerable restyling in the modern era, in the early 20th century, sought by Father Emidio Selvaggio, the Priest and Custodian of the Basilica. The current appearance of the religious complex is due to these works.
While imposing in its overall structure, its decorative aspects are very sombre. The entrance portal leads to a beautiful cloister, made of bricks with round arches whose lunettes were decorated with 15th-century frescoes attributed to Pier Angelo Basili, which unfortunately are no longer very visible. The basilica has a simple facade but with five access portals that correspond to the same number of internal aisles into which the church is divided.
On entering the building, devotees and tourists are immediately captivated by the central altar housing the monumental neogothic shrine that contains the still perfectly-preserved remains of the saint, who died in 1160. A base, finely decorated with images of saints linked to the history of the city, supports the urn, while behind the altar, the beautiful stained glass windows created by Mossmeyer display scenes from the life of St. Ubaldo.
The Basilica contains several noteworthy works of art: the Battesimo di Cristo (Baptism of Christ) by Felice Damiani; the Madonna col Bambino tra i Santi Ubaldo e Giovanni Battista (Madonna and Child between the Saints Ubaldo and Giovanni Battista) created by Salvi Savini in 1610 and Sant’Orsola by Allegrini, to name just a few.
The original urn that for centuries has contained the remains of the saint remains on display on the side of the main altar, while the famous Ceri di Gubbio are still kept inside the building. On the 15th May, on the occasion of the ‘Corsa dei Ceri’, a very popular festival for the locals, the ‘Ceri’ (huge wooden pedestals each bearing a statue) are carried around the city, to the top of Mount Igino and then back inside the Basilica.